Abstracts
Panel: State of brick kilns in Pakistan
Social analysis of the brick production units in Pakistan
Saba Gul Khattak*
The abstract is based on a study, which was conducted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) at the request of Energy Efficient Brick Production (EEBP), Programme Pakistan, a Swiss Technology Transfer programme to provide a social assessment of the brick kilns in and around Islamabad. It focused on the living and work conditions of brick kiln workers, the nature of the contractual relationships between workers, middlemen, managers and employers/owners and the implications of mechanization and new technologies for workers in the industry. The assessment also included a review of available reports, and a list of active stakeholders representing the government and civil society organizations. A public seminar on brick kilns was also held during the course of the study to underscore the importance of public support and awareness.
The assessment used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. It relied upon 91 structured questionnaires to glean in depth information from three categories of workers: moulders/sanchay walla; carriage wallas/kharkars; and firemen/bakers. Women constitute 50% respondents, mainly working in the molders category. The survey covered six kilns in Lohe Bhir and Tarlai (Rawalpindi/Islamabad) that work round the year. To access the views and issues faced by middlemen/jamadars, munshis/managers and employers, a checklist was developed for qualitative interviews. In addition, the report also relied upon field observations of the research team. Following are the brief of findings highlighted in the abstract:
1. Living Conditions
From the six selected brick kiln sites, most of the workers are migrants from other parts of Pakistan (Punjab and NWFP predominantly). More than half of the kiln workers are below the poverty line; they live on the site in kutch/pucca houses. They lack running water at home; latrine, proper drainage and all depend upon fuel wood for cooking. The workers access to health and education is limited. Most workers rely upon private doctors; molders have the highest percentage of health problems (back aches, leg aches, joint pains) due to the posture required for brick molding. A limited number of children go to school. Similarly, adult literacy is nominal. Most of the workers population lack NICs and particularly the women. The beneficiaries of the government’s zakat funds, etc., are also limited.
2. Working Conditions
The working conditions are no better than the workers’ living conditions. A majority of the workers are at the brick kilns work due to poverty and most of them have been introduced by their families. Due to its taxing nature, the financial advances and loans system binds them to work. A limited number of the workers have a written contract and the rest have a verbal understanding. Remuneration is fixed on the basis of the number of bricks made/carried. On average, workers have to work for 11-13 hours.
3. Work Relationships, Representative Forums and Presence of Institutions
The work relationship within the brick kiln sector is highly personalized. Most workers are unaware of any workers organization or union and the few who are aware of a union are suspicious of it. While the workers are not organized, the government representatives from the labor department, environmental protection agency or any other corresponding agency do not usually visit the kilns for monitoring purposes. There is little institutional contact.
4. Views on Mechanization and Fuel Efficient Technologies
The views of the workers and employers regarding mechanization of molding are similar: they are against it. The quality of bricks produced with mechanized techniques is poor making the product un-marketable. Owners are in favor of fuel-efficient technologies primarily due to the rising costs of coal. The sector lacks support mechanism from the government and the owners seem reluctant to push this due to fear of coming under the ambit of taxes.
5. Level of Public Awareness and Stakeholders
In general, few people are aware of workers’ issues and therefore there is little support from the general public. The list of stakeholders directly involved with brick kilns is also brief and interventions for improved policy interventions need to be scaled up.
 *Dr. Saba Gul Khattak is presently a Member Social Sector, Planning Commission of Pakistan; and, Visiting Research Fellow, SDPI, Islamabad. She was formerly Executive Director, SDPI.
Note: This research has been sponsored by Energy Efficient Brick Production (EEBP) Programme
Contemporary brick manufacturing technologies in Pakistan
Abrar Ahmad*
The clay brick-manufacturing sector in Pakistan, with an estimated 1.5% contribution to the GDP, is still a highly un-regulated and un-documented area. The typical processes for production of bricks consist of hand-made bricks which are baked in FCBTKs. Lately, there has been an introduction of mechanized brick making plants and different types of kilns like the tunnel kiln, Hoffman kiln, modified FCBTK and the VSBKs. Earlier attempts to introduce mechanized brick making and brick baking did not meet success owing to a mix of techno-operational and adaptability/ acceptability problems.
A study has been carried out with the support of Energy Efficient Brick Production (EEBP), EEBP Pakistan Programme, a Swiss Technology Transfer programme to analyze the various techniques, methodologies and technologies that are available and in vogue in Pakistan, with specific reference to green brick (Unbaked-clay brick) making and brick firing (baking in a kiln). The following are brief findings of the study:
Green Brick Making
- Traditional hand-made and sun-dried green bricks are inconsistent in quality. Average labor productivity is 500 bricks / person / day (12 hours working time / day). Production from mechanized green brick making plants ranges between 1,250 to 4,000 bricks / hour.
- In hand molding process the average wastage is around 30%. Average wastage in mechanized green brick making ranges from two to five percent
According to estimates the cost of 1,000 hand molded green brickss approximately Pak. Rs. 400 and the cost of machine made green bricks is around Pak. Rs. 200 to Pak. Rs. 250.
- Electrical connectivity and increasing tariff rates are an issue for the mechanized green brick making plants
- In the absence of proper storage spaces and fencing in most of the cases (applicable to both the hand made and mechanized) the green bricks are at the mercy of weather conditions and other factors like herds of farm animals.
- The least attention is paid to the safety of workers (and the overall safety, health and environment aspects) in both types of green brick making.
Brick Baking
Fixed Chimney Bull’s Trench Kiln (FCBTK): has more labor and space requirements, has more rejection, least environment friendly, has more fuel requirements, has longest production cycle as compared to the other kiln types. It is not operational during the rainy weather.
Modified-FCBTK: inherits the issues and problems associated with the traditional FCBTK. However, it has more yield as compared to FCBTK, the production cycle is shorter than FCBTK and is more environment friendly and requires lesser fuel than FCBTK.
Hoffman Kiln: has year round operations, low fuel consumption and emissions, high yield. However, on the other hand it is capital intensive, has the same area requirements as FCBTK and has the longest pay-back period
Tunnel Kiln: has easy firing temperature control, year round operations, the least manpower requirements, is environment friendly and can produce bricks in varying sizes. However, it is capital intensive, and the flue gas ventilator is dependant upon electrical power. The production cycle is seven days.
VSB Kiln: has less space and fuel requirements, the production cycle is the shortest, is environment friendly, has variable capacity, the least pay-back period, is operational all year round and can be deployed as a CDM project. However, the firing zone setting is critical and may require training of manpower.
 *Engineer Abrar Ahmad is a freelance consultant, Energy Projects
Note: This research has been sponsored by Energy Efficient Brick Production (EEBP) Programme, Pakistan
Legal review of the brick production sector in Pakistan
Zulfiqar Ali Shah Bukhari*
The Brick Sector of Pakistan (BSOP) is based on traditional Bull’s Trench Kiln (BTK), which uses coal and some undesirable fuels and are not energy efficient and have undesirable emissions. They rely on intensive Brick Kiln Labour (BKL). Bonded and child labor coupled with social security and labor laws needs to be seen in their true perspective with regard to those working in the brick sector.
Energy Efficient Brick Production (EEBP) programme Pakistan, a Swiss Technology Transfer programme has carried out a Legal Review to ascertain the prevailing BSOP environment and identify laws and their implementation status in Pakistan.
Main Findings
BSOP is relying on BTK and manual techniques for production, alleged to have Energy Conservation (EC) and Emission reductions (ER) issues. It is an informal and undocumented sector but hosts around two million workers. Brick making involves intensive manual labor on piece rates and advances against future work. The Brick Kiln Labor (BKL), the Brick Kiln Owners (BKO) and the State are three direct stakeholders in BSOP. The BKL is captive agricultural labor of the feudal system working for grains and shelter. There has been no psycho social change in the mutual relationship that governs the rules of mutual business even today. BSOP is sustaining itself on BKL, alleged to be bonded on one extreme. Socio economic and financial realities keep the BKL and BKO together to produce bricks. The laws, though not BSOP specific, are fairly relevant and can ensure the rights of BKL. The laws, however, are not implemented for a host of reasons attributable to three direct stakeholders. Labor laws are generic rather than specific to BSOP. IRO is applicable to industry and not BSOP.
The law does not permit the employment of bonded labor or paying an advance or signing a contract for work to be done in the future and is liable to exploitation by third parties at the cost of the vulnerable BKO. Child labor is prohibited but is practiced at the will of the parents, due to poverty, to generate extra resources, sacrificing their rights and their education, against the provisions of law. The Social Security and EOAB contributions are mandatory, avoided by BKO, alleged higher per capita contribution rates and non-availability of NIC, depriving BKL of their rights. The law protects the BKL, not the BKO and specific performance issues encourage coercion. The NEQS have not been promulgated for ER of BK thus making it difficult to ensure implementation of EPA 97 on BK. The option for BSOP specific laws can be delayed but not prevented in the long term and all stakeholders need to get involved in the process. Implementation is lacking for reasons common to all laws. There is no BSOP specific implementation mechanism. The generic implementation mechanism does not consider BSOP as their priority. BSOP continues to produce bricks in spite of issues and the issues tend not to be given priority.
The BSOP has its peculiarities and needs to be treated on its intrinsic parameters. The BKL is temperamental and regulates its own work schedules and outputs that negates the basic eight-hour labor concept in industry. The BKL may never generate the desired number of hours in a year in spite of having taken an advance.
The BKO represented by APBKOA, the BKL with no elected unions and the DVC and labor department are the direct stake holders. The UN, international organizations, NGOs, the HR activists, the APBMU and the media are the indirect stake holders that influence projection of HR violations, bonded and child labor issues.
*Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah Bukhari is a freelance consultant, Legal Services for Engineering and Energy Projects
Note: The research has sponsored by Energy Efficient Brick Production (EEBP) Programme, Pakistan
Non-fired bricks using industrial wastes: An environment-friendly option
Jahangir Mirza*
Ayesha Rehman**
Faiza Masood***
Abida Farooqi****
Most of the brick kilns, producing clay bricks, are located in or around the urban cities of Pakistan. They emit thick black smoke containing several air pollutants (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) and fine particulate matter, which present serious health hazards (human illnesses, animal and plant life destruction) to communities living around them. In an effort to minimize or eliminate these problems, this research study was undertaken to investigate the use of industrial wastes such as marble dust (MD), brick dust (BD) and steel slag (S) to produce non-fired bricks. Such bricks are not only economical, they are an environmentally sustainable option in presence of gypsum (G) and lime (L).
A large number of mixtures containing G, L, MD, BD or S (in some cases clay was also used as a replacement of G and L) were prepared in various ratios, in the laboratory. These bricks were one-fourth the size of conventional bricks sold in the market. The manufacturing process of the bricks was simple and did not require any firing or autoclaving, skilled labor, specialized plant or machinery. Therefore, the energy consumption was nil as compared to conventional burnt clay bricks. The tests carried out on raw materials, namely, X-ray fluorescence and X–Ray diffraction determined their chemical and mineralogical constituents. Tests conducted on brick samples comprised of setting time, compressive strength, 24-hour cold water absorption, five-hour boiling water absorption and saturation coefficient. Different properties of MD, BD and S bricks were compared with Indian (IS 1077: 1992) and American standards (ASTM C62-89a, 1990) as well as with those of conventional burnt clay bricks available in the Pakistani market.
The test data revealed that the bricks attained compressive strength superior to conventional burnt clay bricks in less than seven days. The strength increased with the age of the bricks. Water absorption of all the research bricks (except five hours boiling water absorption for S bricks) however, exceeded the permissible limits set by Indian and American standards. Absence of L in the mixture negatively affected the properties of the bricks, whereas G played its role as a setting accelerator in their preparation. The addition of clay did not show any positive effects on researched bricks.
In conclusion, the use of MD, BD and S in bricks as a fertile clay substitute has shown promising results. Making environment-friendly, low cost unfired bricks, with sufficient strength, could be a viable option for the construction industry. Overcoming serious environmental and health hazards associated with conventional bricks production cannot be overstated. However, the commercial scale preparation of the experimental bricks, calls for a more thorough examination. The water absorption issue and extended testing of mixtures (containing different proportion of these and other industrial and natural wastes, such as, oil and coal burning by-products, bottom ash, fly ash, slag, cement and quarry dust, used ties, sewer sludge, rice-husk ash, bagasse, bentonite, volcanic ash, etc.) should be explored further.
 *ACI, International Concrete Repair Institute, Chemical Institute of Canada and Canadian Dam Safety Association ex-member Dr. Jahangir Mirza, speaks 5 languages and is a senior scientist at Research Institute of Hydro-Québec, Montreal, Canada. He is primarily involved in the applied R & D of materials for repairing and rehabilitating concrete infra-structures. He specializes in using industrial and natural wastes in construction projects to cut production cost, reduce energy consumption and minimize environmental hazards.
 **Ayesha Rehman completed her M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, recently. She conducted all the research work on non-fired bricks containing lime, gypsum, marble dust and steel slag.
***Faiza Masood has also recently completed her M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi. She conducted all the research work on non-fired bricks containing lime, gypsum and brick dust.
****Dr. Abida Farooqi, Ph. D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Japan, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi.
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